Preachrblog

The Resurrection of Our Lord Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020 Matthew 28:1–10 Christ is risen!  (He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!) There’s plenty of death in this world.  Although it’s not usually front and center like it’s been these last few weeks.  Every day the news tells us new “death counts” and “mortality rates”.  The pundits and politicians offer various interpretations of numbers, bandy about this model and that model.  And of course we have the much talked about curve which everyone wants to flatten.  But what’s behind all of this is death.  The very real possibility that you, or I, or someone we know and love will actually die. And if the virus doesn’t get you, something will, because sin already has.  What the crisis has simply done is remind people what’s been lurking in the shadows the whole time.  That unless Christ returns first, all who sin will die, and all sin, so all will die.  Death is the common denomina...

The First Word:   Luke 23:34 33  And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.   34  And Jesus said,  “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” [ b ]  And they cast lots to divide his garments. Forgiveness is hard for us.   When we are hurt, injured, or even just slighted by another.   We tend to hold grudges, keep score, and indignantly desire or demand just desserts.   We want our pound of flesh.   We want eye for eye, tooth for tooth, blood for blood. But not Jesus.   He prays, “Father, forgive them”.   An indictment to all of us in our unforgivingness of others.   A model for us to follow, when others harm us.   But more than that, a true prayer, from his heart of mercy.   A demonstration of purpose, that tells and interprets for us what this cross is all about.   F...

A blessed Maundy Thursday evening to you, the saints of God, scattered and dispersed from our usual gathering.  What a year it has been, what a few weeks.  And what an unusual Holy Week for the Christian church.  Never before has whole world faced a pandemic such as this – and responded with these kinds of measures.  Never before has the whole church around the world been relegated to virtual gatherings like this via technology – gatherings which aren’t really gatherings, but are the best we can do under the circumstances.  And for it all to happen leading up to Holy Week and Easter is even more of a cross for us to bear. And then of all things, the elephant in the virtual room tonight which we must address – a separation from Holy Communion.  Especially on this night, in which the Sacrament of the Altar takes center stage – for it is the commemoration of the very night when Jesus was betrayed and instituted the Supper.  It is a cross to bear to no...

And so we come to it, the cross.   This Sunday is not only Palm Sunday, but the Sunday of the Passion.   It is the last Sunday before Easter.   It begins Holy Week.   Our solemn remembrance of Christ’s passion – his suffering, his crucifixion, and his death.   The Gospel reading today from St. Matthew takes us to the cross.   There we stand, virtually, through the Word of God, at the foot of the cross.   There we see Jesus and all that happened to him.   We become witnesses, through the Evangelist, of the darkest day, the day of God’s wrath, the day in which creation itself mourned the death of God’s Son.   But also a very necessary day for our salvation.   Today I’d like to walk us through this text, and hold up various moments and details, many of which are worthy of a sermon in their own right.   Consider with me, St. Matthew, and all Christians everywhere, as we go to the cross with Jesus. First, consider that Jesus is...

Lent Midweek 6 The Lord's Supper "Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Savior" (LSB 627) The final Chief Part of the Catechism, and also of our Lenten Midweek Series, is the Lord’s Supper.   It’s fitting that Luther orders the Supper as the final section of the Catechism, as it is the climax of the Divine Service – when Christians gather regularly, the high point and crescendo of our meeting is the receiving of this precious gift of Christ’s body and blood.   It is a gift we prepare to receive, as unlike Holy Baptism, it requires some instruction and examination.   So it is our tradition to mark the first reception of this Sacrament with a solemn rite – confirmation – and also typically with great celebration and joy. Luther’s catechism sets forth for us, in a simple yet comprehensive way, what Scripture itself teaches us concerning this gift.   What is it?   What are its benefits?   Where does its power come from?   And who receives it worthily? ...

Lent 5 Ezekiel 37:1-14 “Can these bones live?” Lent is a good time to think about death. As good a time as any. Especially under the current cloud of Coronavirus news – many of us are closely watching the death counts in every country rise by the day.  It’s an ominous picture. Death is a reality every man must face sooner or later. A topic we like to put away, out of our sight, far from our minds. Try as we might.  But all the denial in the world won’t stop death from smacking you in the face.  All the doctoring and supplements and diet and exercise.  All the good clean living, good genetics, or whatever someone’s secret to long life might be.  None of it can stop death – we can maybe only delay it for a while.  If that.  Death is universal and unavoidable... like, well, death and taxes. No matter how we try to get out of it. For us Christians, in some ways it's the same, and in some ways it's different. Death is still an enemy. It still brin...